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The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to examine the degree to which the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC), as educational reform policy, exerts influence on CTE and dual enrollment in the southeastern Michigan high school selected for this study. Additionally, this study explored student, faculty, and administrator perceptions of the MMC on student performance and outcomes (e.g., course selection, perceptions of rigor, and post-secondary credit earned). The study also examined the participants’ perceptions regarding the problems and politics that emerged from the MMC as the solution to high school reform and increased rigor at the high school. This chapter is divided into the following major sections, including (a) the introduction (b) summary of focus group discussion, (c) politics, (d) emergent themes, (e) aggregate summary and analysis, (f) sensitivities and disconfirming evidence, and (g) CTE and dual enrollment course selection data.

Summary of Focus Group Discussion

This study identified student, teacher, parent, and administrator perceptions of the MMC as an educational reform policy and any influences it had on CTE and dual

enrollment in the selected southeastern Michigan high school. Participants’ perceptions regarding the politics related to the MMC were also explored. The study followed a qualitative methodology and gathered data through focus group interviews. Kruger (1994) insisted that focus groups are reliable and valid in providing conclusions and data regarding perceptions and insights.

104 Focus groups were aimed not to infer but to understand, not to generalize but to determine the range, not to make a statement about the population but to provide insights into how people perceive a situation (p. 3).

A summary of the focus groups interviews follows. Alongside the summary of focus group findings I will interject meaning drawn from the participants on the basis of their experiences. This multilevel analysis is based on their personal, professional, cultural, and family experiences. The description of what occurred in the focus group discussions will later lead to a description of the recurring themes.

Masterful Maestros (Teachers)

The Masterful Maestro focus group discussion began with each teacher discussing the courses that they taught and what they enjoyed doing outside of work. There were three business teachers in the group and three teachers from the industrial technology classes. They revealed golf, coaching football, swimming, and boating as hobbies. One teacher noted that she has two children under the age of five, and that does not allow her to have time for much of anything. Focus group members were honest, open, and frank from the beginning to the end of the interview. Focus group members were encouraged to discuss tangential issues during the interviews. This made the discussion richer in many cases, and also promoted a deeper understanding and discussion of the questions that were posed to the group members from the focus group discussion guides.

Members of this group discussed their experiences with CTE, dual enrollment, and the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC). “We got duped. With the Michigan Merit Curriculum, our classes have gone down. There’s no room for CTE classes in the kids’ schedules anymore” (R101). The Maestro respondent stated, “They’re here to get their

105 requirements. They’re coming from overseas and they’re already behind because of the language barrier, so they don’t have any room in their schedule for CTE ‘cause they’re trying to make up two and three other core classes” (R101).

The discussion continued with two other comments from Maestro group members regarding the decline in CTE enrollment due to the MMC mandate. Another Maestro respondent noted the steep decline in CTE enrollment at the high school due to the mandated MMC. “I remember the meeting I had with school administrators four years ago. We had a great marketing program at this school. We had DECA kicking butt. It was awesome. I looked forward to coming here to teach. Then everything got axed. It’s like, well, no more marketing. They gave me a computer class. I am a marketing person. Throw me in a computer class, I can teach it, but I’m not great there, like in the

marketing classes” (R106). The second comment from a Maestro focus group participant noted that CTE classes have been affected by the MMC and by dual enrollment. A Maestro focus group member stated, “I’ve been here ten years. When I got here there were seven of us down at that end of the building. Not counting the business classes, it is three of us” (R104). A different member added, “I have been in the business department longer than that; there were 10 or 12 of us there, now there is 3.5” (R103). Another focus group member added, “There were 13 when I started” (R102). Based on these comments it is evident that experienced CTE teachers are keenly aware of the MMC’s impact on CTE programs. They also appear to be aware of the perception that CTE and other elective classes are not as important today due to the MMC mandate.

All six of the Maestro group members noted concerns regarding dual enrollment. “I think that the dual enrollment requirements need to be looked at. Dual enrollment

106 should be something for kids that are actually gonna go to college and kids that are doing well. Kids that actually can take the class in school should be the ones that are eligible to take those classes” (R104). “So they get out of school two hours early or they don’t even go to school. They just go home or do whatever they want, and I don’t think that’s right” (R103). “I think it should be reserved for kids that actually deserve it. I don’t think it should be – you’ve got to prove your worth at that high school before you get into college” (R105). “It’s a privilege more than just something that we’re looking to give to, really, anybody” (R106). “You have students in high school having a GPA of 1.2, taking college level classes. They are struggling in high school and are in dual enrollment – does not make sense, does not make sense” (R102). “They should be accountable. If they’re failing the college class then they should be required to pay it back” (R101). Maestro group respondents were very passionate about their concerns regarding dual enrollment. The teachers appeared not to be just concerned about protecting their jobs as elective teachers. They appeared to have genuine concern for what is best for students at the high school.

Maestro group members noted that the local college is not happy with the large number of students from the high school who are enrolled in their classes. Teachers stated that rumors are that the college curriculum is being dummied down to

accommodate some of the high school students. “I don’t think the college is really happy about all of our students over there. I know not. It’s definitely a double-edged sword for them. Especially now, because I think they even have to dumb down their curriculum to get – to get the kids to pass. And then, what’s the point? What’s the whole point of that?” (R101). One Maestro member stated that the college does not need the high school

107 students as much anymore. They noted that their classes are full due to the weak

economy in Southeastern Michigan. “Yeah. Their classes are full. I can’t tell you how many forms I had to return to students saying that they couldn’t enroll in a class” (R105).

Discussion ensued among focus group members regarding the impact of the college courses being full on CTE enrollment. A Maestro member stated that he hoped to get more students in his classes. He also noted that he had concerns regarding CTE being a second choice for many students at the high school (R103). “I don’t think our classes should be a fallback, or a second choice. It should not be, well, if you can’t do this or you can’t do that, you might as well, I mean, we should be steering kids into our classes that have a genuine interest in doing some of these things.” Another teacher continued the discussion by stating that CTE should not be an afterthought “not just a dumping ground because it fits into their schedule” (R104). This comment was one of many that noted that CTE classes were not at the very top of the list now for many students at the high school, due to the MMC mandate. Maestro group members discussed CTE enrollment increasing due to less room in the college classes for the high school students. A Masterful Maestro member stated, “The CTE classes should not be a dumping ground to fill up a student’s schedule” (R102). Another teacher noted, “That is what has been happening. I was talking with one of the secretaries the other day and I told her, if there are 2,500 students in the school, for me to get 25 kids in an advanced auto class is only1 percent. You can’t find 25 kids that are genuinely interested. They already do it in their pastimes anyway” (R103).

Focus group members generally acknowledged the negative impact that dual enrollment was having on their CTE course enrollment. The comments and concerns that

108 ensued from the Maestro group were not of anger or sour grapes but of acknowledgement of the MMC and the test eligibility scores mandated by it. Despite the open and honest discussion about dual enrollment, there was a feeling of optimism that the current CTE course offerings would be maintained and hope that there would be a steady trend upward in CTE enrollment.

Masterful Maestro focus group members talked about how the current job market in southeastern Michigan does not align with current CTE course offerings. The demand for certain CTE course offerings does not match the demand for certain jobs in

southeastern Michigan. Courses in manufacturing technology are currently being offered at the high school. Fewer of these manufacturing courses are being offered, and the funding that the State of Michigan will reimburse school districts for these programs is less due to fewer jobs in the manufacturing area in the state. The declining need for manufacturing, coupled with the MMC mandate will add to lack of interest and enrollment in this CTE manufacturing technology course. A teacher noted, “I can talk about the manufacturing industry. You know the interest, I guess, has paralleled the demand because, you know, when I first started teaching there was a pattern shop real close to us where I could send kids, and they would get jobs. How can I sell my program if there are no jobs for the students once they leave the high school?” (R102). One Maestro group member noted that he has changed the focus of his manufacturing course to highlight welding, but if the trend continues, the current manufacturing course will no longer be offered at the high school. “Apprenticeship programs are practically

nonexistent, the manufacturing industry has taken such a huge hit in the last three or four years. It’s kind of tough – I have to really concentrate on the welding end of it because

109 welding is used not just in manufacturing but in mill wrights, the iron working trade. There are a lot of different things, so you know it’s tough to try to sell your program with no jobs afterwards.”

The discussion continued by another Maestro focus group member adding to the discussion about welders needed in the State of Michigan. He noted that he heard the new Michigan governor talk about the current need for welders: “I was listening to him on one of the newscasts. He was saying there is a definite shortage of welders in the State of Michigan. Okay, now they’re taking the old guys back that have retired because there’s such a shortage. I also read something that said they were importing welders from Poland ‘cause they can’t find ‘em in the United States. They’re bringing them over ‘cause they couldn’t find people to do this, which I find is incredible” (R104). “I was in voc ed since the 70s, and it hasn’t changed. The only thing that’s changed is the availability of jobs, ‘cause I know that when we were doing voc ed back in the 70s, they had placement. You could find jobs. Like when I was teaching printing, I had guys that if they wanted to work, they had jobs. I mean it was not a problem. You just go to the voc department and they had a job” (R104). The teacher who talked about focusing his manufacturing course on welding appeared to be moving in the right direction. However, several of the Maestro group members appeared to be frustrated with the current state of the Michigan economy and with the affect that the MMC mandate is having on their CTE courses.

The focus group discussion continued about the topic of the MMC preparing all students for a college prep curriculum. Several teachers felt that some students should be prepared at the secondary level for skilled trades. “You know, I think the disconnect is – it’s such a bad word to talk about tracking. In the European countries, they do aptitude

110 tests very early and they move kids into the skilled trades” (R102). Maestro group

members were concerned that all students were being expected to complete a college preparatory curriculum and that this was not a wise thing to do. These comments appeared to be one of a general concern for meeting the needs of students. It did not appear that teachers in the Maestro group were putting their own interests ahead of their students’. They seemed less concerned about losing their jobs. They were very interested in their students being short-changed, especially if the students were not interested in pursuing a four-year college degree. “Not everyone goes through what our kids have to go through here. The Michigan Merit Curriculum, I think, only perpetuated that falsity that all kids are gonna go through four-year programs in a university when they get out of high school and it’s just not – I don’t think it’s realistic” (R101).

The MMC has made provisions for students to take CTE courses; however, these provisions are not made until the student’s junior and senior years. Members of the Maestro group seem to feel that this has not helped the image of CTE, it has only added to the negative image. Prior to the MMC mandate, many did not look at vocational education favorably. This perception is currently amplified as CTE courses are perceived to be of lesser importance than core academic courses. “I think part of it, too, is that because CTE is considered voc, and vocational has always been given a bad rap? Like okay, you’re not college bound, you’re not gonna be the rocket scientist, so go do something else, and it falls under CTE” (R101). The discussion about the negatives associated with CTE continued, “CTE is also viewed negatively. I mean - Vocations” (R106). “We don’t want our kids to not go to college ‘cause it’s a sign of failure” (R105).

111 Members of the teacher focus group stated that many of the courses at the high school have been focused too much on academics, dual enrollment, and the MMC. The following comments are a reflection of many of the current dissenting beliefs regarding CTE. “It’s along the lines with this Michigan Merit Curriculum, of the dual enrollment is college, college, college, and our classes, a lot of our classes, may not necessarily need a whole four-year and post-secondary college degree. They don’t, and all they need is the experience, and nobody wants to give them the experience” (R105). “They have some type of background [in CTE classes] and they can’t get more background ‘cause they’re too busy on the college track” (R106). “We want to compete but we can’t ‘cause we are too busy doing, math, reading, and writing” (R104). “You’re right. Plus you know if you can get somebody into the workforce, they can actually earn their own money and use it for college. If they want some training later you can go back and get it” (R101). Most Maestro group members agreed with the need for the MMC at the high school. They seem to feel that it is needed in order to allow us to be competitive in this country. However, they felt there is a place for CTE at the secondary level. Therefore, there is a need to prepare some students for jobs and careers that do not necessarily require completion of a four-year college degree. The teachers acknowledged that many of the advanced CTE programs would require students to acquire additional education and training after high school graduation. As a result, many teachers felt that the additional requirements of the MMC are not necessary for all students.

Several Maestro members discussed how students ended up in CTE courses. One teacher noted that the counselors no longer bring kids to CTE courses in groups like they did in the past to expose them to the CTE offerings. The Maestro teacher noted that he is

112 much more involved in recruiting his students now. “They [counselors] don’t show kids what we have to offer them, and that’s something that should be done, because, when we get kids down here in our area who happen to walk by with a buddy they say, ‘Wow, you mean we work on cars here?’ Some of these kids don’t even know that the auto shop exists, that the welding shop exists” (R103). One other Maestro focus group member added “We all go to the to the class meetings in the spring and fall to talk to students about our programs” (R102). Another Maestro group member noted that it is much better for students to see what actually goes on in the CTE classes for themselves. “They love the visual stuff. They literally do, and that’s how they make decisions and that’s how a lot of them learn. So when they see it the hands-on, touchy-feely kinds of things, especially in shop classes, it kind of rings a bell with them, I think” (R106). However, CTE hands-